Creative places re-imagine playtime
[attach]7551[/attach]After taking three years off from the working world to raise her son, Carrie Laureola opened Bamboo Bay in December.
“I had some time to be a stay-at-home mom and then decided now is the perfect time to open a business now that he’s more independent,” Laureola said from the second floor studio on Bayview Avenue at Millwood Road. “I’m really enjoying it because I get to do two of my favourite passions, which is being a mother — and I love children, I get to do that, be with my son — and I get to inspire children to be creative.”
The school of creative expression offers arts and crafts classes for kids ages 2–12, and piano lessons for those 4 and up. Even parents can learn to play piano while kids develop their creative side.
Bamboo Bay also plays host to birthday parties, runs a mix of drop-in and pre-registered programming and camps, and has a retail side, featuring eco-friendly toys and art supplies.
“It’s just heartwarming to me to know that I was a part of their life growing up a little bit,” Laureola said, smiling.
Creative playtime
Play Creative Café has joined the Bayview Avenue and Millwood Road community.
The venue features drop-in playtime, creative workshops and classes like mom-and-baby yoga, music, singing, acting and dancing.
Grand opening celebrations were held on March 1 and featured a performance by children’s entertainers Sonshine and Broccoli.
Play Creative Café accommodates birthday parties, features coffee and healthy snacks, and is available for private parties.
First-place showing
Mt. Pleasant Road-based interior decorating and design firm Laura Stein Interiors won first place in the large bath category at the National Kitchen and Bath Association Design Competition last month in Las Vegas. Entries were scored on five core areas, including safety and ergonomics, elements and principles of design, design planning, and creativity and presentation.
Colour me happy
Nadège Patisserie in Summerhill and on Queen Street West celebrated its first “Croissunday” on Feb. 23, offering customers a variety of colourful and unique croissants flavours, including black squid ink, matcha green tea, apple strudel, cassis and violette.
Chocoholics will be pleased to learn the patisserie has also gained the Canadian rights to a rare Peruvian chocolate, Illanka, which hit shelves in January.
Somethin’ fishy here
Oyster house John & Sons, at Yonge Street and Balmoral Avenue, recently opened a secondary space to house John & Sons Fish & Chip Shop.
Fish options include haddock, cod and steelhead trout, served with french fries, coleslaw or mixed greens. Blackened haddock and oyster po’ boy sandwiches are also on the menu.
